Call command

Updated: 11/12/2023 by Computer Hope
call command

The call command enables users to execute a batch file from within another batch file.

Availability

Call is an internal command and is available in the following Microsoft operating systems.

Call syntax

Windows 2000, Windows XP, and later syntax

Calls one batch program from another.

CALL [drive:][path]file name [batch-parameters]

If Command Extensions are enabled, CALL changes as follows:

CALL command now accepts labels as the target of the CALL. The syntax is:

CALL :label arguments

A new batch file context is created with the specified arguments and control is passed to the statement after the label specified. You must "exit" twice by reaching the end of the batch script file twice. The first time you read the end, control returns to after the CALL statement. The second time exits the batch script. Type GOTO /? for a description of the GOTO :EOF extension that lets you "return" from a batch script.

The expansion of batch script argument references (%0, %1, etc.) are changed as follows:

%* in a batch script refers to all the arguments (e.g., %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 ...)

Substitution of batch parameters (%n) is enhanced. Use the optional syntax below.

%~1 Expands %1 removing any surrounding quotes (").
%~f1 Expands %1 to a fully qualified path name.
%~d1 Expands %1 to a drive letter only.
%~p1 Expands %1 to a path only.
%~n1 Expands %1 to a file name only.
%~x1 Expands %1 to a file extension only.
%~s1 Expanded path contains short names only.
%~a1 Expands %1 to file attributes.
%~t1 Expands %1 to date/time of file.
%~z1 Expands %1 to size of file.
%~$PATH:1 Searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable and expands %1 to the fully qualified name of the first one found. If the environment variable name is not defined or the file is not found by the search, then this modifier expands to the empty string.

The modifiers can be combined to get compound results:

%~dp1 Expands %1 to a drive letter and path only.
%~nx1 Expands %1 to a file name and extension only.
%~dp$PATH:1 Searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable for %1 and expands to the drive letter and path of the first one found.
%~ftza1 Expands %1 to a DIR-like output line.

In the examples above, %1 and PATH can be replaced by other valid values. The %~ syntax is terminated by a valid argument number. The %~ modifiers may not be used with %* parameter.

MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me syntax

Calls one batch program from another.

CALL [drive:][path]file name [batch-parameters]

The batch-parameters specifies any command line information required by the batch program.

Call examples

call second.bat

Executes the second.bat batch file from within another batch file.